Morrisons is the best supermarket at having stock available on the shelves for shoppers, according to the findings of a major new study.

And the annual report by The Grocer magazine also contradicted suggestions in the national media that Morrisons is only intended to cater for the "cheap and cheerful" shopper.

In fact, the Bradford supermarket trailed both Asda and market leader Tesco when ranked in the league table of the UK's cheapest stores.

Asda, which has its headquarters in Leeds, came out top in the study based on the cost of household items bought at each of the major stores.

The Grocer said that, overall, the cost of goods bought at all supermarkets is 0.5 per cent lower than when the survey was first launched eight years ago.

Asda came out cheapest for the second year running at an average £167.60 per basket compared with £170.64 at Tesco, Morrisons at £174.23, Sainsbury's at £177.91, Somerfield at £189.14 and Waitrose at £192.14.

Morrisons' current financial problems, which have seen it issue a string of profit warnings since completing the £3 billion acquisition of Safeway last year, have led some commentators to say its good-value offering has been snubbed by more discerning shoppers, especially in the south.

But Morrisons came out top in the survey of product availability while it was also praised for its level of customer service.

The company said today that the findings proved that it was still getting its in-store offering right, despite the distractions of the Safeway takeover.

Mystery shoppers spotted only 21 out-of-stock goods at the store, which boasted an availability record of 98.3 per cent over the year.

A Morrisons spokesman said: "Morrisons is delighted to have been recognised as market leaders in such important areas of supermarket business.

"The Grocer 33 awards demonstrate that even with the conversion challenges facing our business the dedication of all our team ensures that we constantly deliver to our customers with the right products on the shelf at the right time, with the right attitude.

"It is fantastic to be recognised for availability within our stores, especially as it has been awarded to us for the third year running, while the award for customer service is testament to the outstanding performance of all our store staff who continually strive to set exceptional standards."